Long way down
by Sketchybadwriter
Summary: George's life several years after 1998, Battle of Hogwarts, losing Fred and now he and Angelina fall in love. For Fred and George lovers. Romance and friendship and fun stuff. It's like "My big fat Greek wedding", but "We're a family, and we're wizards."
1. Long way down

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FRED, GEORGE OR ANY HP CHARACTER.**

**Note: I agree with Anne, this needed to be written.**

**LONG way down**

For Anne Kathryn, who loves Fred and George more than any other girl, and wanted me to write this.

Some people walk miles and miles and never move at all. In the years since 1998, George Weasley hadn't as much as gone a mile out of Great Britain, and yet he'd traveled so far.

In the time since his life changed dramatically, he'd gone through so many different aspects of the human condition he felt as if he could teach a course on it and even write the curriculum.

His one constant in life had left him in 1998 and George had finally come to accept the fact that part of him would be missing forever.

That's about as sullen as it gets when it comes soul searching. Most people seek to become whole, but George had accepted that this would only never happen, but that he got to live with it for the rest of his life.

Many people considered him a very lucky man; he'd escaped the second war with his life and continued to do well financially with his shop, minus one ear and his twin brother. That was the real clincher, was that George sometimes secretly hated being in that shop.

It felt so…uninteresting without Fred with him running, that shop was THEIRS, they'd built it together and now he was gone. This is where George Weasley had walked miles around his own unconscious mind and his ever conscious heart. He'd never be repaired, there would only be a hole where Fred had been.

He'd known how close they were, they finished each others sentences, thoughts and even accidentally dressed the same; even where they were apart, they could sense when the other was having a bad day.

He shut the lights and stuck in the key in the door and turned to walk away down Diagon Alley, the shop was still incredibly popular with students and he didn't mind helping to take care of his parents or even Ron when he needed the extra cash.

All of his siblings, except Charlie, were married and had children, except him, he'd remained pretty much single for years. He wasn't a virgin or anything, but had been too broken to commit, but now a tingle of something flourishing was coming up in him…dawn was breaking on something that wasn't loss or heartache.


	2. Watching

_**Watching**_

George Weasley was a famous man for several reasons, one of which being a friend of Harry Potter's, also the brother of Harry's best friend; for fighting during the Battle of Hogwarts, and for being an extremely wealthy, self-made man. Growing up George and the rest of his siblings had two very loving parents, but money was extremely tight all of the time, and all of their clothes were hand me downs, stitches and hemmed until they were more thread than cloth.

George had opened Weasley's wizarding Wheezes years prior with his twin brothers, though during the height of Voldemort's reign, the two had been forced to flee, their store being destroyed by Death Eaters as Fred and George went into hiding watching as their shop went up in flames. For some reason it hadn't even struck them to scream and shout and cry, juts to get away with their lives intact as they ran through Diagon Alley bursting past people knocking them over, stepping on people as everyone desperately tried to get away or escape the jinxes all around them, the explosions and screams bustling around them like….once in a muggle book George had read about the Titanic sinking, a young survivor named Jack Thayer who was only 17 at the time, commented that once the stern had disappeared underneath the water, that in the blackness all of the screams reminded him of the high pitched hum of locusts in Pennsylvania where he grew up.

Diagon Alley didn't have as many people screaming, but George agreed that cries did usually accumulate into one giant noise, and crickets were very close to that sound. He continued walking down Diagon Alley, normally he'd take Floo Power home, but decided he's fancy a walk instead, this was the season in which the weather was becoming exceptionally handsome, right before it got nasty and rainy again. He'd been invited to his parent's house for dinner and part of him really didn't want to be there for many reasons.

It wasn't that he hated his family, on the contrary he loved them very much, and he just didn't want to be grilled out who he was dating or when he might find someone. He continued anyway and took off on his broom until he'd reached his parents place and could tell that everyone was already there. As he was greeted by his parents, kisses on the cheeks and slight salutations from siblings and brothers and sisters in laws he'd settled into a seat. It was the annual feast; the children were all away at school and now they all celebrated the time alone until they came home again in Christmas.

Across him sat his sister Ginny and her husband Harry, both happily eating and conversing with his brother Ron and his wife Hermione. Tonight Harry and Ginny's youngest was spending her first night in Hogwarts. They all kept the conversation light and minimal, George didn't care much for what dark wizards Harry and Ron had chased down and apprehended after so many months, nor did he care to hear about what Hermione was working on with what department. The 3 of them seemed to dominate most conversations, but as Harry was talking animatedly about "some" dark wizard he'd captured, with a tone that suggested he was weary to discuss such events, though they all knew he loved it, George smirked to himself, and thought of a funny joke, and he knew that Fred thought have laughed hysterically.

"So…George…" His mother began; George rolled his eyes, here it came, "have you met anyone?" she asked casually, everyone at the table groaned in annoyance so he didn't have to.

"No."

"You're 41 years old." She nearly demanded, as if being 41 was a reason to get married

"Yeah but he doesn't look a day over 25," Ron complained with a mouth full of potatoes, George ran a hand through his perfectly red hair, accompanied by a smooth, wrinkleless countenance.

"It's different; he didn't have a maniac trying to murder him and everyone he knew." Harry said nonchalantly putting his fork down, emerald eyes meeting George's nature inspiring brown ones. George did not falter and kept the stare, not backing down at all, Harry ended up looking away.

"Well, all is fine, I've invited Angelina Johnson over for desert, perhaps you two will hit it off?" Mrs. Weasley offered smiling

"Oh my god, Fred's old girlfriend? Mom, have you lost your mind?" Ginny choked with a laugh, dropping her fork

"You've lost your marbles." Ron commented in shock

_Definitely, time to stick her in a home. _George thought to himself with a smile.

"What if she compares their kissing styles?" Ginny laughed, no one else seemed too

"It's been 21 years Ginny; I highly doubt she remembers Fred's technique." Hermione scorned in her serious tone. George was nearly a bystander as they all went back and forth over his love life.

"And you all wonder why Charlie only sends cards on Christmas and on Birthdays." George commented, a nastiness in his tone, Harry had shot something back at him, but George was too taken aback by how terribly Harry had aged. Harry had just approached his 39th birthday, but looked well over his own age to be honest. Harry, Hermione and Ron had all aged quite prematurely, given what they'd all been through it was understandable.

Though still young, Harry had large grey patches, especially at his temples and at the back of his head, where his hair was thinning greatly. The skin around his eyes had heavy crows feet and he had equally as heavy laugh lines.

Hermione was also very grey, but in streaks all around her head, slight crows feet but looked good, older than she was, but good.

Same went for Ron, but no grey hair and virtually no wrinkles, just more matured. They all had permanent under eye circles that were constant regardless of their state.

Over all, they didn't look grotesque, in fact they all looked like attractive 50 year olds, so when people found out that they were 39, and a lot of shock came with that. Again though George on the other hand had hardly changed, his face was still smooth and pale from England's lack of sunlight and his hair had grown reached a subtle fire engine red. He knew that he must be attractive looking, because women offered him their numbers all the time, or they knew he had money, he was well known to the wizarding world.

"So I saw you on the cover of Wizarding World Weekly." Ron told, not holding back his jealousy well

"Shoulda seen him mom, arms crossed with a faint smile on his face smug bastard your son." Bill grunted jokingly, making fun of Ron

"The title read, "Weasley does it again, opens up a 14th store, now counting retail businesses in the UK, Ireland, Canada, America, Russia and Africa." Ron continued

"What have you done?" Bill asked, his tone incredulous to his brother's jealous. In the years since Fred had been murdered, George had become more reserved and gone inward. Fred was always the voice, George was the support. As the table magically cleared, George rubbed his eyes and watched with amusement as Ronald got ready for desert, a knock at the door confirmed his wariness at who was there.

"George, why don't you be a doll and answer it?" Mrs. Weasley suggested wiping her hands on her apron. George grunted to himself and pushed the seat backward, feeling everyone's smiling faces and eyes on him as he twisted the handle. Opening it he was met with the smiling face of Angelina Johnson, wearing a purple shirt that seemed to elucidate her dark skin and her white smile, though her eyes were nervous and unsure, just as he was convinced his were.


	3. The Weater

**The water **

The greeting was simple and friendly enough, but very routine and slightly cold coming from both parties. Angelina walked into the dwelling with a grace that George hadn't previously ever noted before, maybe because before she was Fred's girlfriend, and he wasn't that type of man…that type of brother.

Setting down pot on the table Angelina's nervousness was broken by the sound of Ron Weasley's demanding tone,

"Oi! What'dya bring?" she heard Hermione smack him on the arm and scold

"Honestly Ronald have you no tact?"

From there conversation seemed to move terribly casually and at a rate that was terribly boring for George and he found himself mulling over which items he needed to restock on and maybe ones that he should consider carrying. He fiddled with the cold pocket watch that Fred had bought him as part of their 17th birthday.

"Did you hear?" he was shaken back to reality, he gazed at Ginny who looked engaged in the conversation

"No, I was…No I didn't hear." George told straightening himself up and smoothing out his shirt.

"Angelina was just telling us that she's recently tired." Ginny beamed, George's eyes were wide in befuddlement

"From what?" He asked looking from Ginny to Hermione and finally to Angelina, who smiled

"From professional Quidditch." Ginny told, pronouncing each word

"Oh, I didn't know." He told casually helping himself to some tea

"Didn't know?" Ginny demanded "Quidditch was your life!" Hermione laughed with exasperation

George straightened in his chair and fixed his gaze on Hermione, Angelina stirred in her chair, she detected a hint of cruelty and loathing in his gaze, two emotions which had previously been a characteristic of Fred; he was capable of much cruelty toward those he felt harbored opinions or beliefs he didn't agree with.

"Was my life Hermione, I haven't set foot on a Quidditch pitch since I was banned by Umbridge." He told, and his tone was frosty like winter and weighty like ice. Who had George Weasley become over all of these years? Angelina found herself thinking.

"It's been so long for you." Angelina spoke, matching his casually cool tone "I've been in and out of British and Irish leagues that I've forgotten what it's like to have a life, and you've forgotten what it's like to have fun…so it seems." Angelina told, catching George's attention, and respect. Not many people outside of his family spoke to him like that. Physically he was intimidating, tall and broad, and his expression wasn't exactly inviting, so when someone stood up to him, he usually immediately liked them.

George only nodded as an result that he'd heard her.

"So, at 41 you've just been playing Quidditch…never really doing anything?" Harry asked, his tone was that of both disdain and admiration. In the wizarding world, you usually married before 20 and had at least two children before thirty- that's literally how it worked for 98 percent of wizarding couples…what else was there to do? Her own parents had been 22 when she was born. Also for the admiration, so she did what she wanted, good for her.

"Good for you Angelina! Who says a woman must marry and have children and not pursue a career?" Hermione applauded banging her fist down on the table with much enthusiasm.

"Actually I was married for a time." Angelina told sipping her tea, catching Georges glittering eye, the ambiance coming from him encouraged her to go on; his interest in this rogue of the wizarding world was starting to acknowledge her.

"Prey tell!" Ginny enthused

"It was many years ago,"

"What did he do? Anyone we know?" Ron asked, shoving some pastries in his mouth

"Oh yes, but I doubt you'll remember him, he played professionally as well." Angelina told shaking her head, she was being playful and George was delighted watching them all eat it up.

"Who was it?" Harry nearly demanded

"You're first Quidditch coach." She smiled

"Madam HOOCH?" Ron bellowed his jaw dropping nearly to the table

"RON YOU THICK GIT SHE MEANS OLIVER WOOD!" Ginny bawled in hysterical laughter as they all joined in, once they regained themselves and while holding her gut and a wave of her other hand, Angelina clarified

"Oh this was years ago. We married right after the battle of Hogwarts; it seemed like a good idea. We were both playing professionally, Voldemort had been defeated and everyone was in the best emotional states they'd ever been in. So we married in a small ceremony. About 7 years later we divorced, out of 7 years of marriage I only saw him 4 of those years in accumulation; we were both to busy and by the 3rd year, neither of us really cared for the other, just two busy to sign the divorce papers." Angelina told

"I'm sorry." Hermione told darkly, Angelina's face was nearly stern

"You are aware that this was nearly 17 years ago? I'm fine. We on good terms, not friends but we're ok, turns out his daughter and son are huge fans of me, he neglected to tell them that he used to be married to their hero. When they found out they said they'd never forgive him." She told him and they burst out into another round of laughter.

Ron and Hermione were the first to leave, followed by Harry and Ginny.

"It's terribly late." George commented checking his watch

"What time?" Angelina asked stretching

"3 am." He told, her expression contorted in surprise

"Ugh if I was ever talented at anything it was over staying my welcome." She muttered quickly getting up and pushing the chair in

"Let me walk you to your broom." He told

"I drive a car." She smiled; George gave a hearty laugh at the thought of the delight on his father's face

"Can I get a lift; I've seldom been in a car." He told and Angelina nodded and the got into her car admiring the newness of it. They pulled out of the lot and down the long drive that was in the center of a wall corn and wheat, it reminded George of some joke Fred had told about some biblical figure parting the sea.

"So, is this the part where I ask you out on a proper date?" Angelina asked stopping at the end of the drive,

George looked around and then at her, she shrugged her shoulders

"I'm awaiting directions, and a reply." She smiled in a way that forced calmness on him.


End file.
